Today's easy summer recipe for the grill: Grill sweet corn with the husks off to reveal corn's natural sweetness, then brush with just a touch of a bright and spicy butter. What a summer treat!
Sweet corn is one of the summer's most-anticipated vegetables, so worth waiting for, so worth savoring each and every kernel.
But calorie-wise, corn gets a bad rap, one it doesn't deserve. Why?
First, an ear of corn has built-in portion control: one ear of corn yields about a half cup of corn kernels. Even for Weight Watchers, that's a small enough portion that it counts as, get this, 1 point.
Second, corn is often treated as a butter-to-mouth transfer vehicle -- not that there's anything wrong with that ;-) except that too much butter overwhelms the corn's own delicate deliciousness.
Grilling corn brings out the corn's own natural sweetness. We grilled corn without the husks twice last week. Subjected directly to the heat of the grill, some of the kernels get quite chewy, almost candy-like. (Toothpicks are useful, after!) Add just a touch of the spiced butter and oh my, what a treat.
It's about time we learn to love corn again, without feeling guilty, just for the few weeks in summer when it's fresh from the field.
GRILLED CORN with CHIPOTLE-LIME BROWNED BUTTER
Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 12 (easily divided)
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 12 (easily divided)
1 dozen ears sweet corn, silk and husks removed, corn-stalk "handles" left on
4 tablespoons butter
Juice of a lime (about 1 tablespoon)
Pinch of ground chipotle (chili powder would work too, so would pimentón, the smoked Spanish paprika)
Good salt to taste
Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until many of the kernels have turned dark and caramel-like.
Meanwhile, inside, melt the butter in a small saucepan, then let it sizzle, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to brown. Add the lime, chipotle and salt, let gently sizzle a bit. Turn off the heat, if needed rewarm before serving. Transfer to a small dish.
To serve, stir the butter again (see TIPS), brush the hot grilled corn with a touch of the warm butter. Savor!
ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
If you like, make the butter ahead of time and then reheat just before serving. Further, you can make the butter and then use just a bit of it at a time over a week's time, say. After sitting just a minute, the butter does separate so it's important to give it a quick stir to get the "full flavor" of the lime-chipotle-salt. 
This recipe is so quick and easy that I'm adding it to a growing collection of easy summer recipes published all summer long in 2009 at Kitchen Parade, my food column, and now again in 2010. With a free Kitchen Parade e-mail subscription, you'll never miss a one!
MORE FAVORITE CORN RECIPES
~ How to Freeze Corn ~
~ Microwave Sweet Corn ~
~ Raw Corn Chowder ~
~ Grilled Sweet Corn (in the Husks) with Spiced Lime Butter ~
~ Warm Tomato, Corn & Okra Salad ~
~ more corn recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Fresh Creamed Corn ~
~ Sweet Potato Salad with Roasted Poblano, Roasted Corn & Chipotle ~
~ Sengalese Soup ~
(Shrimp Soup with Corn, Honey, Lime Juice & Just a Touch of Curry)
~ more corn recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade
~ How to Freeze Corn ~
~ Microwave Sweet Corn ~
~ Raw Corn Chowder ~
~ Grilled Sweet Corn (in the Husks) with Spiced Lime Butter ~
~ Warm Tomato, Corn & Okra Salad ~
~ more corn recipes ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Fresh Creamed Corn ~
~ Sweet Potato Salad with Roasted Poblano, Roasted Corn & Chipotle ~
~ Sengalese Soup ~
(Shrimp Soup with Corn, Honey, Lime Juice & Just a Touch of Curry)
~ more corn recipes ~
from Kitchen Parade
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© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2010
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